In My Veins
by intomelikeatrain
Summary: Booth and Brennan after the Hoover, many things changed, many didn't. They love each other, though. Lots of chapters, I hope. No character's death planned.
1. A Storm Is Gonna Come

"One year from today, we meet at the reflecting pool, on the Mall, right by the.."  
"Coffee cart, I know."

Brennan was running, she couldn't help it. She missed him more than she expected, and it was surprisingly painful. He was there. He was always there. He gave her his back and he couldn't see her, so she stopped to catch her breath and walked slower towards him. He turned around as he heard her footsteps and he suddenly got up. In less than a blink they were extremely close to each other, she could feel his smell, his breath, his nervous hand-scratching. And then she hugged him. Tight.  
'Please, please.' She whispered. 'Don't let me go'.  
Sounded needy and, yet, it was exactly what she meant. It was just amazing to be back home. She closed her eyes and then she found it. That small dimple on his shoulder that perfectly fit her forehead. She breathed him deeply and they stayed like that for some more long minutes.  
Eventually she came out of the hug, staring at his reassuring brown eyes. He looked at her as well, and he smiled. She could feel his eyes piercing hers. God they've known each other for so long.  
'It's great to be back, uh Bones?'  
She smiled hearing that nickname no one had been calling her for the past seven months.  
'It is, Booth. It really is.'  
'Heading back at the Jeffersonian?'  
'Not yet. Just.. not yet.'  
'Okay. Okay.' His arm was round her back now, and her head was on his shoulder.  
'How were the Makuku's?'  
She smiled, Bones knew he called 'em wrong on purpose, but she couldn't help but laughing.  
'It's Maluku's, Booth. Ma-lu-ku's. And it was great. We found lots of remains that might be really interesting, anthropologically speaking. What about Afghanistan? It's not.. Easy to live a relatively normal life once you fought in a war zone. So, um.. Are you okay?'  
'I'm good. I'm-'  
He was interrupted by his phone ringing. She kept talking as usual, asking him about the past months.  
Clearly, he couldn't answer her. He put a finger on his mouth, she had to shut up. She stopped talking and began to look around, seeing if anything had changed. Apparently everything was the same. Booth hung up the phone, and she asked him who it was.  
'Um, just no one.'  
'Technically it was someone, Booth. You've spent the last few minutes talking to the phone to someone, it must have been someone. Or you've just gone mental and now you talk to yourself during fake phone calls.'  
'Bones, just drop it, it was no one.'  
He looked upset, but she just kept her mouth shut. He clearly was mad at her not because he was actually mad at her, but because he was mad at someone who wasn't there now and he needed to talk to someone as if it was the person he's clearly mad at. She hates psychology!  
'So..' he said, 'did you meet anyone special in that Indonesian jungle?'  
She turned my head and closed her eyes tightly. That wound was still open and bleeding like hell. A voice came in her head 'I'm not a gambler, I'm a scientist! I can't change, I don't know how.' And then Booth's face looking at her. The face of someone who had just been pushed away from the woman he said he loved. That was the first time she realized he was broken. She broke him. And he needed her not to be around for a while. She took a deep breath and looked at him again.  
'Nope. No one. And.. what about you?'  
He didn't answer, at first. But she got it from his eyes, looking away from her.  
'Umm, well.. Kind of. Yeah.'  
And is she gonna love you thirty or forty or fifty years? That question was up to come spontaneously out of her mouth, but she kept it wide shut.  
'What's her name?'  
'She's.. Hanna. '  
'Oh. And is it serious, between you two?'  
'It's.. we're taking it slow. We've been taking it slow in Afghanistan. She is a journalist, you know. A reporter. War articles and pictures on various newspapers. She stayed there, you know. She.. She had no idea when she's gonna come back.'  
'Oh, so you broke up.'  
'No.. What? Why do you think we broke up?'  
'Long-distance relationships don't exist, Booth. It's obvious that two people need a certain level of physical contact, even not involving sexual activities, to be together, and you obviously end up with cheating or reciprocal intolerance.'  
'Bones, that's not the thing that someone who just left his girlfriend behind in a foreign country wants to hear.'  
'It's not me, it's.. Facts, Booth. I'm talking about facts. Chemistry keeps you together as a couple, and chemistry is the reaction of hormones and the body in general to an element that you can see and touch and talk to, in person.'  
'Okay, I'm fine. Hanna's fine. She will come here soon, Bones. And then we could have a relationship, a short, really short-distance relationship. I mean.. Don't you want me to be happy?'  
'Of course I do. My point is.. Are you happy?'  
'She could be the one who's gonna love me for thirty or forty or fifty years.'  
She didn't say anything else. One of a sudden, Brennan was exhausted. And speechless. And breathless. They stayed close to each other, though, and she desperately hoped he didn't see the tear she quickly wiped out of her cheek.


	2. Chemistry Keeps Them Together

The lab didn't change that much, Brennan thought. It was all the same. The forensic platform was sterile and ready to be used. People were the same. Angela and Hodgins just came back from Paris, and they looked great. Happy. Cam was always there, always helping who needed her. Sweets was there too. He was the first who rushed in a hug with both her and Booth. It was awkward, actually, but she just hugged back, since she had missed him more than she thought. The intern on call was Mr. Nigel Murray, who was up to annoy them all with his unrelated information. Later Angela came, she squeezed her in a tight hug and kissed her on the cheek.  
'Oh, Brennan! It's great to have you back here!'  
'Thanks, Angela. It's good to see you too. I missed you.'  
Hodgins hugged her and pulled Booth into a weird guy hug, funny to look at because of Hodgins and Booth's height difference. Cam hugged her and then hugged Booth, kissing him on the cheek. After a while, Angela led Brennan in her empty office for what she used to define a 'girl-to-girl talk'.  
'God, sweetie, I've missed you so much.'  
'Oh, Angela! I've missed you too.'  
'Honey, let's speak clearly: What happened?'  
'What happened when?'  
'During these months, or when you met Booth. Something was different. That tension between the two of you.. Awkward. Really awkward, sweetie. Come on, you weren't even talking to each other! I mean, we all are used to a certain kind of tension between you, sexual tension, I mean.'  
'I don't understand how could there be sexual tension if we have never had sex.'  
'To be honest, I still can't believe you never did, honey'  
'To answer your question, nothing happened. Absolutely nothing.' It wasn't true. Booth didn't make eye contact with her all their way there, nor in the car, nor while entering the Jeffersonian. Brennan knew something was wrong. Then she said 'Booth fell in love in Afghanistan.'  
Angela's face showed deep concern. 'Oh, I'm so sorry!'  
'Why? Are you in love with him?'  
'Oh, honey, don't play dumb with me.'  
'Play what? Technically this is a conversation, not a game.'  
'Alright, forgot who I was dealing with. I meant.. You and Booth always had a kind of chemistry, honey. You solve murders because of that, you must know what I'm talking about.'  
'We solve murders because we are scientists, we can identify murder victims and murder weapons, he finds out the motive and he catches the murderer. Chemistry has nothing to do with that.'  
'Sweetie. You couldn't do your job as well as you do if you didn't have that kind of chemistry that keeps you together. It keeps you on the same wavelength.'  
'I don't know what that means.'  
'Okay, that' not what I'm talking about. Something has changed between you, most likely for this woman he's with.'  
'Hanna. We weren't in a relationship so I don't get what could have happened. It's not like he cheated on me or something, in fact we're not together, and monogamy is totally overrated.'  
'Bren, you must realize how destructive pure logic can be. You feel something for him.'  
'Booth? Yeah, we have a special friendship bond that favors our partnership, but I don't know how this..'  
'I don't mean feel. I mean _feel. _Like more than friendship. Can you see where this is going?'  
'You're saying I'm in love with him! Oh, that's ludicrous, Ange. But, you know, Sweets said the same exact thing! You two should spent less time together, he's influencing you.'  
'Honey, you do fine with evidence, right? So, here's the thing. You have never had a relationship that appeared to be going somewhere since you met. And now he kinda breaks this silent code between you and dates this chick. Clearly you're in love with each other, but you refuse to admit it for some unknown reason. And now he comes back with this girl..'  
'No, wait. He didn't come back _with_ her. She's in Afghanistan. When I said they were most likely to broke up he.. Overreacted.'  
'Sweetie, he's so in love with you and you don't even see it.'  
'I don't know what that means.'  
'You just have to be open enough to see it.'  
She didn't know what to say, but right then Booth walked inside, again, not making eye contact.  
'Bones, I'm going at Rebecca's place to see Parker. Want me to give you a ride home?'  
Brennan was glad he gave her an escape to that awkward conversation. Especially when she started to understand that what she was saying to Angela wasn't actually what she felt like.  
'Yes, Booth, thanks.'  
'Let's go.'


	3. Haunt You Everyday

She couldn't bare that anymore. She had missed Booth, and him not making eye contact and not talking to her was something she couldn't stand.  
'I'm sorry if what I said made you upset.'  
'It's not you, Bones. I'm sorry too. It's.. It was Hannah.'  
'What? The secret phone-call?'  
'Yeah. You know, I asked her to come back in DC with me but she.. refused.'  
'Well, maybe her career as a reporter was doing fine and she didn't want to abandon it for..'  
'Me.'  
'That wasn't what I meant. I was going to say "for a relationship which might have turned out to be unsuccessful and self-destructive for her in particular."  
'Oh, thanks Bones. Very kind of you.'  
'I would have taken the chance.'  
'What?'  
'If I were her. I would have taken the chance.'  
'Really?'  
'Well, certainly. You're a perfect example of alpha male, you protect the female you choose as your..'  
'Partner.'  
'..Yes. Plus, you have a prominent mandible and high zygomatic bones, which makes you an excellent candidate for reproduction.'  
'Aww, thanks Bones.'  
'Why would you thank me? I'm just saying it's a fact, Booth.'  
'You basically said I'm handsome. Hot.'  
'No, I didn't. Temperature here is not that hot, Booth, it's winter. And you don't seem to have fever, so I don't know why I would have said that.'  
'Never mind, Bones. Never mind.'  
'I'm sorry, you were talking about Hannah and I interrupted. What happened next?'  
'She called me and said she had contract issues. She was supposed to work there only until November 3.'  
'Today is 9, Booth. If the contract became due..'  
'She's coming back in a few days.'  
'Oh, that's great. You said you missed her, it's fine news.'  
'I guess it is.'  
'What's wrong?'  
'It was a coincidence. She would have stayed there for another year, if it wasn't for this thing she wasn't aware of. She choose not to stay with me and.. When something forced her to come back here she pretended nothing happened. Like we were fine.'  
'And you're not.'  
'She took advantage of this contract thing to pretend she never said anything to hurt me. You know, she basically dumped me. Kindly. But still..'  
Brennan wasn't actually listening. She was thinking of what Booth said before, when they were at the reflecting pool. And something wasn't right.  
'Booth?'  
'Yeah?'  
'Why did you say that she could have been the one?'  
Booth wasn't answering her. She kept asking.  
'After the phone call. You said that she was gonna love you… For thirty.. Or forty, or fifty years.'  
Saying those words, exactly what Booth said to her about eight months ago, still hurt her. She took a deep breath and then looked at the view from the side window, but it was closed, so all she could see was Booth looking at her.  
'I don't know. I was upset about Hannah, so I actually wanted to..'  
'Hurt me?'  
'No. Not hurting. I would never do that, not on purpose. I wanted to make you feel something.'  
'Make me feel _what?_'  
'Umm, I don't know. But still, your reaction was kinda interesting.'  
Now she could recognize him. They were back!  
'Why?'  
'I saw something weird, in you.'  
'What was it?'  
'I don't mean saw _saw_, I meant metaphorically. So..'  
'I'm not comfortable with metaphors, Booth.'  
'Okay, okay. Your reaction to me talking about Hannah showed an interesting feeling.'  
'What?'  
'Jealousy.'  
'Oh, come on! Jealousy is not a rational feeling, and why would I feel jealous? I don't even know this woman, plus, you said you broke up with her.'  
'Oh, here we go! You felt the need to say that we broke up, means you _are _a bit jealous. Come on, jealousy is cute of you.'  
'No, it's not. It's not rational, beyond every logic thought, plus..'  
'Just admit it!'  
'I wasn't- We're partners. I care about you. Maybe what you saw was concern. Nothing more.'  
'Right. Nothing more.'  
'Plus, she could be prettier than I am, as far as I know. That's it.'  
'Yeah, that's it.'  
'Stop repeating what I say!'  
'Okay.'  
She smiled brightly. That was the Booth she was used to. She wasn't actually listening when she heard him saying something.  
'What did you say?'  
'She isn't prettier than you. You're still the standard.'  
'Thanks, Booth.'  
'You're blushing!'  
'I'm not! It's quite hot in here. I mean the temperature. The temperature inside the _car.'  
_'Of course, Bones. Well, the heating is on.'  
'That explains it.'  
'Bones?'  
'Yeah?'  
'You didn't take the chance. You said you would have done it, if you were her, but..'  
'I didn't. But that doesn't mean I didn't think you weren't worth the risk.'  
'But you didn't anyway.'  
'You were worth the risk.'  
'What risk, Bones? What was the risk?'  
'Failure. When you love someone.. You open yourself up to suffering. If we.. If you and I.. If we didn't make it as a couple I would have never been able to trust someone again.'  
She looked at him, and this time he didn't look broken. He looked like he understood perfectly what she meant.  
'That's what Sweets says.'  
'That's what Cam says, too. So.. you think I'd be worth the risk.'  
She winced. She could see where that was going.  
'I was a coward. I thought you'd be worth it, but I didn't take the chance. I.. I just didn't. I didn't want to..' she took a deep breath, trying to stop the tears from falling 'broke you.'  
He looked at her, silently. Again, he didn't look broken. He looked sad _for her._ Booth stopped the car and parked it, then he hugged her. She closed her eyes and held him tight. He rubbed her back gently, whispering her that it was okay, he was fine, she was fine.  
'I.. I don't want to be alone, Booth.'

**A/N: I loved writing this chapter, and it's full of dialogue, hope you like it. Please, please, review and tell me what you think about it and how to make it better! Keep reading! **


	4. Keep On Trying

They stayed there, in his car, holding each other for entire minutes. She calmed down a little and whispered in Booth's ear. 'I'd.. I'd better go, now.'  
'Yeah, of course.'  
'Well, so.. I'll see you tomorrow.'  
'Goodnight, Bones.'  
'Goodnight.'  
She went out of the car and walked really slowly, feeling sad for no apparent reason.  
She was looking for her keys, when she heard someone's footsteps behind her. As she turned around, she suddenly recognized those footsteps.  
'Booth?' It took him a long while to answer her.  
'Bones.. I won't let you be alone.'  
'What?'  
'Shh, just listen. What you said before.. You said you didn't wanna be alone. You won't be. You aren't. It's.. I know this already happened, it's like a déjà vu, but I feel like this time it's gonna be different. Because, oh God, Bones, I love you. I love you. And I will keep loving you, no matter how hard you'll push me away, I'll keep on trying. And I know you love me too, I know, and I believe in giving this, us, a chance. And I wouldn't have told you once again if I weren't one hundred percent, one thousand percent sure you loved me too. You love me. And I love you. And we need each other, Bones, we need each other. That's what happens when you love someone. And it's not just a partner thing, it's not. We aren't just partners, we aren't just friends, we are something more than that and..'  
'You love me.'  
'Yes.'  
'I.. Love you?'  
'Yes!'  
Brennan was hyperventilating. But still, she knew he was right.  
'What.. What if I hurt you?'  
'That won't happen.'  
'What if I'm not ready?'  
'I'll wait for you.'  
'..Why?'  
'Because you are that woman. You are the one. And I'm not able to love anyone else, Bones. Believe me, I tried. I tried so hard to make it work so many times in my life since I met you, but it just didn't.'  
'Why do you think we could make it work?'  
'Because it's us. And you were jealous, and I was jealous, and we can't commit ourselves to other people. It's so obvious, Bones! I can't believe I let five years go by without realizing this. And because I knew.'  
'Right from the beginning.' She whispered.  
He could feel she was surrounding herself to his words, so he stopped talking and looked at her.  
Brennan was looking at him as well, with tears in her eyes. She took a deep breath and moved one step towards Booth, without talking. He did the same, and, in less than a blink, they were breathing each other's air, feeling each other's tears on their faces. And, suddenly, Booth grabbed her back and pulled her towards him, gently, she closed her eyes and their lips were touching in a kiss so hot and deep they didn't even wanna come out to breathe some fresh air, their bodies were touching, and they didn't even know where she started and when he finished. She was stroking his hair, gently, while he was rubbing her back and tickling her neck with his large, warm hand. Their eyes were closed, they both feared it was just a dream, they were afraid to move. They both came out of the kiss in the same exact second, and they stayed in each other's space, breathing deeply. Her forehead was pressing against his, and her hand were on his face. Booth opened his eyes, and Brennan did the same. She was smiling.  
'Booth?'  
'Mhh?'  
'I'm a very good student.'  
'I bet you are.'  
'You could teach me.. how monogamy works.'  
'Aww, Bones! That's sweet.'  
'I suppose all you had to do was asking me once more.'  
'That's right.'  
'I'm.. I'm still a scientist.'  
'I know.'  
'I cannot change.'  
'I know. You don't have to. You're perfect just the way you are.'  
She smiled again and kissed him on the lips, softly. Then he pulled his arm round her back, and she leaned her head on his shoulder.  
'It's late.'  
'Yes.'  
'Parker would most likely be asleep by now.'  
'Yes.. Bones, what is your point?'  
'It's just.. You want to go upstairs? With me, I mean. Maybe you don't feel ready. I'm sorry, maybe I asked too soon. Usually people wait three or four dates before having sex, but that's fine, since I never really appreciated dates, but maybe you do, so..'  
'Hey, hey, Bones! We've been waiting five years. You're doing just fine. Ask me again.'  
'You wanna go upstairs with me?'  
'I'd love to.'

**A/N: Okay, I didn't want to make it happen that soon, but it just did. Hope you like it, (I do, actually!) Please, review and tell me what you think about it! :D**


	5. Beat Your Heart Out

Booth woke up, and it actually took him a while to realize what happened the night before. As soon as he looked next to him and saw Bones sleeping, he smiled, and felt like he had everything he could wish for. She was sleeping, her deep blue eyes were shut, and her soft, silky hair was laying on the pillow, and some of it had fallen on her beautiful face while she was sleeping. He fixed it, softly, and kept watching her sleep. He lightly touched her cheek and her mouth with his thumb, and she moved a little towards him. He was hooked. He couldn't believe she finally decided to open herself to him. He went closer to her and smelled her hair: lavender. Seemed weird to think that Bones, the most rational and thoughtful woman he had ever met, was also the most passionate he'd ever been with. She woke up after minutes, or moments, or hours, and found him looking at her with his reassuring brown eyes.  
'Good morning, Bones.' She smiled at him and he felt like he could have died for her.  
'Hey.' She whispered, still sleepy.  
He was afraid she could have had some regrets, the morning after, but the look she gave him totally made him change his mind. He moved closer to her and kissed her passionately. Her smile was even larger than the one she gave before.  
'Booth?'  
'Mmh-mmh?' He was busy kissing her softly on the neck, he wasn't actually listening.  
She sighed, but tried to keep talking.  
'We should.. Booth, it's late!' She started laughing and pretended to punch him to get him away from her clavicle.  
'Work can wait.' Booth laughed and went closer to her mouth. She pulled his neck close to her and kissed him, her eyes wide shut. She started laughing and pulled the sheets on their heads. None of them really cared about work in that moment.

They were in front of the Jeffersonian, holding each other's hand. Booth's leg was shaking, he was clearly worried. They were both looking for the courage to go inside the building and tell everyone they knew, Hodgins, Angela, Cam, Sweets and the intern on call, who, since his bad luck, would probably have been Clark, about them.  
'Okay, Bones. I think it might be better to.. Uhm…'  
'We should tell them separately? I think it's a better idea. Maybe they would be shocked and..'  
'Bones.'  
'Mmh?'  
'We've been chasing each other for five years. None of them will be shocked.'  
'Booth, we didn't practice athletics. I don't understand why we would have been chasing.'  
'Never mind, Bones. Okay.' he sighed. 'I tell Cam and Hodgins and you tell Angela?'  
'Fine. W-What about Sweets?'  
They knew it was all about him. He would have yelled 'told you so!' all over the FBI building.  
'We both tell Sweets, okay Bones? Together.'  
'Together.'  
They held each other's hand tighter and then let it go.  
'Okay.'  
'Okay.'

Everyone was already on the forensic platform. Cam rushed to them and talked to Brennan.  
'Morning.'  
'Morning!'  
'So, what do we got?' Brennan asked.  
'Uhm, twenty-five year old Caucasian male, died two to four weeks ago. Found dead in a bar toilet by a bunch of toasted teens. I brought him here myself with the FBI forensic team.. You know, you two were late.' She gave them a suspicious look.  
'Thanks Cam, good job.'  
Brennan quickly looked at the remains and found a twenty two millimeters bullet hole on his skull. The intern on call, as she assumed, was Clark Edison.  
'Mr. Edison, remove the flash please and page me when you're done. I assume this bullet hole here is cause of death, but I also found a few fractures all over his skeleton I want to examine.'  
She took off her gloves and went to Angela's office. Cam and Booth were already gone.  
'Ange!'  
'Sweetie, how are you?'  
'I'm fine, thanks. How about you?'  
'I'm good. Have you found something on the victim you want me to look at?'  
'Not yet. I'm not here for that, Angela. I'm.. Here for Booth.'  
'What?'  
'I assume that your conclusions are not as wrong as I thought.'  
'Uhm.. Not squinty, please. Use _your_ words, Bren.'  
'Well, Booth and I are now emotionally involved, not as partners or as friends, we.. are in a relationship which includes sexual intercourses. Since.. Yesterday night. So apparently you weren't wrong, we actually.. are in love with each other, the way he means it, because I know for sure love is caused by..'  
She stopped talking as soon as she saw Angela's face. Her mouth had the shape of an 'O', and she looked shocked. After a while she smiled widely and started 'squeeing.'  
'Oh my god! Sweetie, I knew that! And he knew that too! Oh my, it took him way too long to do the first move, but he made it! Honey, I'm so deeply, truly, hugely happy for you!'  
She pulled her into a huge, tight hug. Then Angela whispered:  
'Is he good in bed? He looks good. So is he? Good?'  
'Oh, yes. Ange, you'd be surprised how he looks all like a prude.. While his attitude in bed is completely dissolute. Even if I'm more passionate and he's way more gentle and sweet.'  
'Aww!'  
Angela looked at the door and smiled widely.  
'It was you we were talking about!'  
Booth came in and Angela hugged him, too.  
'I'm so happy for you, guys!'  
'Uhm, thanks Angela.'  
'Have you told Cam?' Brennan asked him.  
'Yep.'  
'..And?'  
'She said she thought this should have happened years ago.'  
Brennan and Booth left Angela's office and wet at the FBI to check on the missing people list.  
'It could be Hart Jameson, West Virginia. Missing three weeks ago. He had a congenital condition that causes a hole in the sternum, so does our victim.'  
'Okay, so this guy is our victim. And he was killed by a gun-shot in his head.'  
'Maybe.'  
'Okay, now what?'  
'Booth, we need to talk to Sweets. Therapy starts in five minutes.'  
'Oh God, do we have to? I hate this part.'  
'Yeah, let's go.'  
Sweets was doing paperwork when they went inside his office.  
'Hey, Sweets!'  
'Hi, guys. How are you?'  
'Booth and I are committed in an emotional relationship involving frequent and satisfying sexual intercourse since the other night.'  
Sweets looked at them, in shock, and then fell on his armchair, still looking at them.  
'Bones, what did I say? Gently. We'll break the news gently. Not like _this_.'  
'Sweets? Are you alright? Oh, come on Booth. This is not the most shocking news he's ever been given!'  
'It's not, doctor Brennan is right. But this is _definitely_ in my top five!'

**A/N: Did you like it? Please review!**


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